TY - JOUR
T1 - Real-Time Monitoring of Biometric Responses During a 200-km Ultra-Endurance Race Across the Desert
AU - Esh, Chris J.
AU - Pitsiladis, Yannis
AU - Racinais, Sebastien
AU - Taylor, Lee
AU - Dablainville, Valentin
AU - Belfekih, Toaufik
AU - Bendimerad, Fawzi
AU - Pitsiladis, Asimina
AU - Verdoukas, Panagiotis
AU - Willems, Mark
AU - Nader, Nelda
AU - Dalansi, Feriel
AU - Grandjean, Paul
AU - Al-Mulla, Maha
AU - Aldous, Nada
AU - Dossou, Joseph
AU - Hassanein, Youmna Elsayed
AU - Khater, Nada
AU - Miranda, Herald
AU - Cardinale, Marco
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). European Journal of Sport Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH on behalf of European College of Sport Science.
PY - 2025/9
Y1 - 2025/9
N2 - Ultra-endurance sports challenge athlete health, with these risks exacerbated by environmental extremes and/or remoteness of competition. Therefore, this study aimed to use real-time monitoring technology to characterise and monitor physiological/biomechanical responses during SAMLA 2023, a 200-km multidiscipline (swim, run, bike, and kayak) ultra-endurance race, encompassing cool and warm desert environmental conditions (16°C–28°C). Within a cross-sectional observational study design, 18 males (total entrants: 318) were instrumented with wearable/ingestible sensors measuring physiological [heart rate and core (Tc)/skin (Tsk) temperature], biomechanical [gait] and location-based [Global Positioning System (GPS)] metrics. Sensors connected to a smartphone application via Bluetooth, which saved and transmitted data to a cloud-based dashboard in real-time. Participants were on-course for an accumulated ∼668 h. ∼662 h of GPS data were displayed in real-time with the longest individual data capture of ∼57 h. Physiological/biomechanical data were acquired for x̄: ∼42% (range: ∼38%–∼49%) of the participant on-course time. Hypo/hyperthermic Tc's were seen (x̄: 37.8°C range: 35.7°C–39.2°C). Tsk (28°C: 11.7°C–38.4°C) in response to the varied in-race environmental challenges (16°C–28°C ambient temperature) and heart rate (111 b·min−1: 37 b·min−1–179 b·min−1) varied markedly. One participant was hospitalised without presentation in physiological data. Biomechanical data had significant data loss and quality issues and are not presented. Developments in real-time monitoring technology, acknowledging limitations observed here (physiological/biomechanical data acquisition), may allow combined in-race GPS and physiological data (e.g., Tc/Tsk) to be used during ultra-endurance sport to prospectively protect athlete health. GPS/physiological data alone may not identify medical emergencies, and medical teams must remain alert to medical events.
AB - Ultra-endurance sports challenge athlete health, with these risks exacerbated by environmental extremes and/or remoteness of competition. Therefore, this study aimed to use real-time monitoring technology to characterise and monitor physiological/biomechanical responses during SAMLA 2023, a 200-km multidiscipline (swim, run, bike, and kayak) ultra-endurance race, encompassing cool and warm desert environmental conditions (16°C–28°C). Within a cross-sectional observational study design, 18 males (total entrants: 318) were instrumented with wearable/ingestible sensors measuring physiological [heart rate and core (Tc)/skin (Tsk) temperature], biomechanical [gait] and location-based [Global Positioning System (GPS)] metrics. Sensors connected to a smartphone application via Bluetooth, which saved and transmitted data to a cloud-based dashboard in real-time. Participants were on-course for an accumulated ∼668 h. ∼662 h of GPS data were displayed in real-time with the longest individual data capture of ∼57 h. Physiological/biomechanical data were acquired for x̄: ∼42% (range: ∼38%–∼49%) of the participant on-course time. Hypo/hyperthermic Tc's were seen (x̄: 37.8°C range: 35.7°C–39.2°C). Tsk (28°C: 11.7°C–38.4°C) in response to the varied in-race environmental challenges (16°C–28°C ambient temperature) and heart rate (111 b·min−1: 37 b·min−1–179 b·min−1) varied markedly. One participant was hospitalised without presentation in physiological data. Biomechanical data had significant data loss and quality issues and are not presented. Developments in real-time monitoring technology, acknowledging limitations observed here (physiological/biomechanical data acquisition), may allow combined in-race GPS and physiological data (e.g., Tc/Tsk) to be used during ultra-endurance sport to prospectively protect athlete health. GPS/physiological data alone may not identify medical emergencies, and medical teams must remain alert to medical events.
KW - hyperthermia
KW - hypothermia
KW - real-time athlete monitoring
KW - thermal physiology
KW - ultra-endurance
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105012853322
UR - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsc.70026
U2 - 10.1002/ejsc.70026
DO - 10.1002/ejsc.70026
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 40788281
AN - SCOPUS:105012853322
SN - 1746-1391
VL - 25
JO - European Journal of Sport Science
JF - European Journal of Sport Science
IS - 9
M1 - e70026
ER -
